MLB: Is Houston owner serious about Astros name change?

JOSHUA BUCKLEY

Published 9:00 am, Wednesday, January 25, 2012

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Houston Astros owner Jim Crane announces fan initiatives for the
2012 baseball season, at Minute Maid Park on Monday in Houston.
Crane is also considering changing the name of the franchise as
well as its uniforms. Crane said Monday the team will not be
changing its name.

Houston Astros owner Jim Crane announces fan initiatives for the 2012 baseball season, at Minute Maid Park on Monday in Houston. Crane is also considering changing the name of the franchise as well as its

The Houston Astros will have lower tickets prices this year and likely new uniforms as they make their switch to the American League in 2013.

But will the Astros also be changing their team name after this season?

New owner Jim Crane brought up the subject on Monday in an interview with the Associated Press.

"We're going to study the information both from the fans and from all sorts of marketing people," Crane told the AP. "I'm not saying we're going to change. We haven't made the decision yet whether we're going to change."

I'm all for the uniform changes. I've never been a fan of the current ones. Maybe the orange will come back with the new threads.

However, a name change? That seems a bit drastic.

I think Crane knows that, as just used it as a ploy to get the Astros in the news.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is the king of such public relations ploys, once even admitting any kind of press was good press. As long as people are talking about the team, right Jerry?

So before storming Minute Maid Park to take off Crane's head, realize he isn't serious about changing the Astros name. He just wanted to get his new team in the news.

It certainly worked. People are now talking about the Astros instead of the Texans and the Rockets.

This Crane guy appears to be smarter than Drayton McLain's bunch.

Let's hope this publicity eventually leads to on the field success to go along with the new uniforms and new league.